Re: <nettime> In Defence of Cultural Studies aka Debord and nostalgia

[Keith Sanborn <mrzero@panix.com>]

The evocation of Fukuyama's version of Kojeve is precisely wrong: 
Fukuyama lines up closer with Baudrillard. For both history is over, 
whether at the triumph of Napoleon or the death of Stalin--Kojeve was 
a great admirer of Stalin as well as an early architect of European 
Unity btw. Again, I think you're missing my point: the choice is not 
between Stalinism and Jamesonism. Both are crypto-ideological and 
anti-historical. I will agree with you that it is a view of some 
complexity which is needed, but I believe it is of a dialectical and 
historical order, just what kind of dialectics might be a more 
interesting way to pose the question for me. Unless I miss your 
drift, you have discarded dialectics as one of the arsenal of tools 
you would use. "And its the only way to break bricks."

The fight against the pollution of the environment whether by the 
former East block countries or by Capitalists (either before or after 
the fall of the East) is one issue where the protestors from Seattle 
to Prague join hands across the globe. Neo-Liberalism has only 
exported pollution, and industrialism to the third world, not 
elminated it. Certainly the 3rd world power elite would like 
development and if they can become rich and stash the money in Swiss 
bank accounts they hardly trouble over fouling the nest of their 
fellow countrymen and women, or anyone else, which ultimately 
includes the 1st world as well.

It's a long trip to make Marx an apologist for neo-Liberalism, though 
he might have relished the dialectical contradictions which could 
lead to the overthrow of the existing order.



While this "discussion" seems to have reach an impasse, for the few 
interested in an extended version of my view of the relationship 
between the situs, Hegel, Bataille, Kojeve, Napoleon and the existing 
world order, you may wish to consult my essay "Postcards from the 
Berezhina" which accompanies my translation of Napoleon on the art of 
war ("How to Make War."), which you can rip off from any good 
bookstore, or if you prefer, you may order from Amazon.com.

>Is there a 'coherent view of history' that has ever done anyone any good?
>The mechanistic views of the second international was just as much a
>disaster as the volunteerism of the third. One led to inaction, the other
>to the gulag. Neo-liberal visions of a world made safe for markets,
>nothing but markets also has a 'coherent view of history' behind it,
>namely Fukuyama's rewriting of Kojeve. Complexity and difference is what
>is written out of all these scripts, and leading to poor political
>judgement on both 'left' and right.
 <...>

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